‘I haven’t regretted my choice for a single moment’

Should she study graphic design, or go for IT? Ayşegül Koçak is still happy that she chose the latter. As a data consultant and business analyst at Capgemini, she works to achieve the sustainability goals set by her client Agrifirm.

“I started working at Capgemini in 2021, and I’ve worked for Agrifirm since 2022. It’s a large cooperative of livestock farmers and growers that was originally founded in the Netherlands. They supply animal feed, products for improving crops, and agricultural consulting services all over the world. I’m working on a corporate social responsibility project for them. My colleagues and I are building a Microsoft Power BI dashboard.”

“Agrifirm wants to work more sustainably and to eventually make its production and sourcing processes climate neutral. So, the cooperative has set ambitious goals in the areas of purchasing agricultural raw materials, the production of animal feed, and the products and services it develops for farmers. The dashboard should give them insight into their data so they can achieve their sustainable goals.”

“My colleagues and I collect data from throughout the organization pertaining to its performance in these areas. We then ensure that the data are portrayed clearly in the dashboard. That way, the client can see exactly where the organization stands at the moment, and if any corrections need to be made.”

“It’s amazing how we can help Agrifirm gain insight into its sustainability efforts this way. And the client can then use the insights to improve its performance. For example, you can realize a big difference in CO2 emissions if you load the trucks fully or only half-full when transporting raw materials. When Agrifirm sees what a difference that can make, they can adjust their transport policy. And that makes a tangible reduction in their CO2 emissions. They take that seriously, and it makes me proud to be a part of it.”

“My main role in this project is as a Power BI Developer. We build a whole dashboard with different kinds of reports in it. But my work also involves consulting about how to work data into the dashboard. I’ve learned a lot in that area from working on this project. So, my assignment with Agrifirm is also very valuable in my development as a consultant. That’s a development that not only benefits Agrifirm; I’ll also take that experience with me to future projects.”

“What kinds of projects? Maybe I can specialize in the subject of this current project: corporate social responsibility. The assignment with Agrifirm came my way by pure chance as a new joiner, but sustainability is one of my main interests. I was raised with an understanding of how important it is. My mother was always into recycling, and she still re-uses things as much as possible. It would be fantastic if I could show other people how important sustainability is through my work.”